绚烂
xuàn​làn

gorgeous

绚 xuàn variegated Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 旬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 絢.

Components

纟
纟 Meaning component
mì silk

纟 is a component form of 糸.

旬
旬 Sound component
xún ten-day period

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

烂 làn rotten Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.

Components

火
火 Meaning component
huǒ fire
兰
兰 Sound component
lán orchid

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

絢 xuàn variegated Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 旬 represents the sound.

Components

糹
糹 Meaning component
mì silk

糹 is a component form of 糸.

旬
旬 Sound component
xún ten-day period

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartxwenHqʷʰˤi[n]-sornate, decorated
Zhengzhangqʰʷiːns

說文解字

《詩》云：“素以爲絢兮。”从糸旬聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

爛 làn rotten Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 闌 represents the sound.

Components

火
火 Meaning component
huǒ fire
闌
闌 Sound component
door screen

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartlanH[r]ˤan-s cooked until soft

說文解字

《說文》：“爤，孰也。从火，蘭聲。燗，或从閒。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)